Table top construction



March 20, 1934. w. E. GUNN TABLE TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed July 20, 1932 w n 6 /1 nk u if-UNITED STATE-VS PATENT OFFIC Patented Mar. 20, 1934 TABLE TOP CONSTRUCTION William Earl Gunn, Grand Rapids, Mich, assigner to Gunn Furniture Company, Grand 4 Claims.

-This invention relates to table or counter tops, particularly with reference to tables or counters used in cafeterias, kitchens and the like. The primary object and purpose of the invention is to produce a table top, the upper side and borders of which are linoleum covered and with the edge portions of the upper surface of the top raised with respect to the intermediate portions within, said edge portions, thereby obviating any dripping of liquids which may be spilled upon the top. The table top being covered with linoleum, may have any such liquids readily removed without danger of injury to the top.

It is a further object and purpose of the invention to provide a very practical method or process of manufacturing the top whereby the same may be produced readily and economically.

An understanding of the invention for an attainment of the ends stated may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the top made in accordance with my invention, a part of the upper linoleum cover being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner of the top after the same has been completed, and

Figs. 3 to '7, inclusive, are fragmentary vertical sections illustrative of the steps of the process of manufacture of the top.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

In the construction of the top a suitable bed 1 of wood, reinforced at its underside and around the same near its edges by an under frame 2, is provided; and the first step in the process of manufacturing the top is to apply a linoleum cover 3 to the upper side of the bed by gluing the same to said bed except for a short distance from the outer edges of the top inward. That is, the linoleum 3 is glued to the bed 1 over its entire surface to within a short distance from the edges of the linoleum. In Fig. 3 the glue line indicated at 4 terminates at 5 a short distance, which may be approximately one inch, inside the edges of the bed and linoleum, thereby leaving a section 6 entirely around the bed and under the linoleum cover 3 free of any glue or cement connection to the bed, said free section extending from the points indicated at 5 outward to the edges of both the bed and the linoleum covering 3.

A number of the beds 1, with their reinforcing frames 2 therein, and with the linoleum covering 3 glued or cemented thereto as shown in Fig. 3,

may be placed in a press one over the other and held until the glue or cement is firmly set. The second step of the process is illustrated in Fig. 4. Wedge shaped strips 7, having horizontal undersides with their upper sides at an. acute angle to the lower sides, are inserted at the edges of the top between the upper side of the bed 1 and. the undersides of the free sections of the linoleum cover. These strips will be placed at all sides and/or ends of the top with mitered corners as indicated at 8. The wedge strips 7 have glue or other suitable cement applied thereto on both upper and lower sides. This raises the edge portions of the covering 3 upwardly at an angle to the horizontal making inclined edge portions 9, the outer edges of which are in a higher plane than the body of the covering 3. Suitable clamps for holding the wedges, the bed 1 and the sections 9 of the linoleum cover in place are used until the glue has sufficiently set for further operations. The next step of the process, as shown in Fig. 5, is to dress the edges of the bed 1, frame members 2, wedges 7 and the section 9 of the linoleum into a smooth plane. It is to be understood that in the beginning the edges are rough, not necessarily in exactly the same planes, and that the same are oversize. On dressing the edges after the parts are all secured together, as shown in Fig. 4, the vertical side and end edges of the top are dressed to a smooth plane.

The next step is to apply covering border strips of linoleum 10 to the dressed side and end edges of the table top. This is illustrated in Fig 6. The borders 10 of linoleum are sufficiently wide that when applied there will be projecting upper edges 11 extending above the upper sides of the sections 9 of the cover. The linoleum borders are glued and clamped in place and held until a suitable connection has been made.

The final step is to dress the upper protruding or projecting edges 11 of the linoleum borders 10 making a smooth and flush conjunction of the upper edges of the borders 10 with the upper sides of the linoleum sections 9 and preferably rounding off the outer upper corners of the borders 10 as indicated at 12.

The construction described is very practical and useful and especially so in connection with cafeterias, kitchens and the like. The process is one which may be readily, easily and economically followed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

I claim:

1. The herein described process of producing a top for counters, tables and the like which cover and the upper side of the bed at said consists, in providing a horizontal bed of material, gluing a flexible covering to the upper side of said bed except at its edge portions, said flexible covering being free of attachment to the bed a short distance inwardly from its edge portions, positioning a number of the aforesaid assemblages one over the other and placing them in a press until the glue is dry, inserting wood strips having horizontal undersides and vertical outer edges between the upper side of the bed and the underside of the edge portions of the flexible covering and gluing the same to said bed and covering, as specified.

2. The herein described process of producing tops for tables, counters or the like which consists, in providing a horizontal bed of wood, gluing a cover of linoleum to the upper side of said bed at all points of contact except at the edge portions thereof, the cover being free from connection to the bed a short distance inwardly from each edge thereof, positioning a number of the aforesaid assemblies one over the other and placing them in a press until the glue is dry, inserting members between the underside of the edge portions to thereby elevate the cover at its edges, and securing a border strip to each edge of the top to cover the outer edges of the bed, linoleum cover and members inserted between the bed and cover.

3. A process of manufacturing articles of the class described which consists in, providing a bed having a flat surface, placing glue on predetermined areas thereof, placing a flexible cover over said bed, clamping the same in position until the glue has dried, and then elevating the cover varying distances relative to the bed on certain of said predetermined areas.

4. The process of producing tops for counters and the like which consists in, providing a number of beds of material, placing glue thereon at predetermined areas, locating a flexible covering on each bed of material, clamping said beds together under pressure until the glue hardens, and then individually finishing said tops by elevating the flexible covering from its bed of material.

WILLIAM EARL GUNN. 

